Dallas Morning News Taste Section 9/9/2013 Moosewood Restaurant and Cookbook! Vegetarian / Vegan Recipes

Moosewood Cookbook recipes:

Vegetable Barley Soup
Stovetop Almond Oatmeal
Falafel Burgers
Autumn Smoothie
Vegan Chocolate Cake
Vegan Orange Chocolate Glaze


The first recipe I thought about posting was Chocolate Buttermilk Pie. I actually love Chocolate and I love Buttermilk Pie. Wouldn't that be a win win recipe to blog about? But, I decided to pass on that one.
Actually I'm not posting a recipe from the paper today, but I will choose some favorites from my Moosewood Cookbook.  I've chosen to blog about a Cook Book and a Restaurant.
The headline read, "Moosewood keeps pace with the ideal it inspired"
I happen to be a fan of the Moosewood and their cookbooks. Moosewood began as a vegetarian restaurant and has evolved over the years.
"In the bearded, Birkenstocked 70's, the Moosewood Restaurant in upstate New York was more than a vegetarian eatery. It was the standard bearer of a movement, representative of a lifestyle, an ethic and an ideal".
"Quite simply, today's Moosewood is not the vegetarian menu of four decades ago". "Recipes for dukkah-crusted fish and Turkish borekas extend the restaurant's reputation for introducing international concepts and lighten the load on the obligatory tofu recipes; brown rice has been joined by grains and quinoa".
"The original Moosewood Cookbook, published in 1977 was the point of entry for many of today's older vegetarians  (though not all of the restaurant's dishes were vegetarian)".


Vegetable Barley Soup :

1/2 C raw hulled barley ( it's best to get the barley cooking first and then prepare the rest of the ingredients for the soup. You can even cook it the day before, then the soup can be made in about an hour)
7 C water
3 TBS olive oil
2 C chopped onions
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 C cubed white potatoes
1/2 C diced celery
1 C diced red bell peppers
1 c peeled and diced carrots
1 C cut green beans ( 1" pieces)
1 C cubed yellow summer squash ( or zucchini)
1 C chopped mushrooms
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
2 TBS dry sherry
2 TBS barley miso
pepper to taste
1/3 C chopped fresh parsley
chopped scallions

Rinse Barley , place in a saucepan with 3 C of the water.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low until tender, about 1 1/4C to 1 1/2 C hours, drain

Warm oil in a large soup pot.
Add onion and salt, cook on medium high , stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes

Heat and simmer the remaining 4 C of the water in a separate saucepan

Stir in potatoes, celery, bell pepper, carrots, green beans, squash and mushrooms into the onions until well coated with oil. Add marjoram, thyme and sherry. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour the simmering water into the soup pot.
Ladle out 1/2 C of the water and combine with the miso to form a smooth paste. Return it to the pot.
Add pepper to taste, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
Add the drained barley to the soup and stir in the parsley and cook for 5 minutes more.

Serve topped with scallions.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



Oatmeal was such a common food for Hippy Communes.I though I'd choose one of the recipes from the Cook Book.

Stovetop Almond Oatmeal:

2 C rolled oats ( Old Fashioned Oats) , not quick cooking oats.

4 C water

1 tsp salt

1 C whole, un blanched almonds ( In Texas, we would use toasted pecans)

3 TBS raspberry or apricot preserves

Brown sugar or additional preserves as a topping.

In a saucepan with a lid, bring to a boil:

water

salt
lower heat to medium low and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a single layer on an un greased cookie sheet pan at 350 degrees for 5 - 10 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown.
Finely chop them in a coffee grinder or a food processor.

While the almonds are toasting:
Add preserves to oatmeal and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring.
Oatmeal should begin to be sooth and thickened.

Remove from heat, cool for 2 -3 minutes and serve immediately.
As an option, add additional nuts, preserves or brown sugar to top the oatmeal.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



Autumn Smoothie:

1 ripe pear ( use a really ripe and juicy pear), peeled, cored, chopped
1/2 C unsweetened apple juice
1/2 C soy or almond milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 drops pure almond extract
a pinch of cinnamon

Puree all ingredients in a blender.
Serve over ice

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Vegan Chocolate Cake:

1 1/2 C unbleached white flour
1/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder ( I use a good Dutch Processed Cocoa)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C sugar
1/2 C vegetable oil
1 C chilled brewed coffee
2 tsp vanilla
2 TBS cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
Oil an 8" square or round baking pan and dust with a little sifted cocoa  \or line with parchment paper, or use my foolproof Pan Release Recipe found on the blog under Tips, Hints and More.

In a medium bowl, sift together:
flour
cocoa
soda
salt
sugar

In another bowl combine:
oil
coffee
vanilla

Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and combine until smooth.
Add vinegar and stir briefly
The baking soda will begin to react with the vinegar immediately, leaving pale swirls in the batter.
Without wasting time, pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes
Cool on a wire rack
When completely cooled, transfer to a serving platter.

Dust the cake with powdered sugar or the following Vegan Orange Chocolate Glaze.

Vegan Orange Chocolate Glaze:

1 1/2 C semi chocolate chips
3 TBS fresh orange juice
1 tsp freshly grated orange peel.

In a double boiler or a small heavy saucepan:
melt the chocolate chips with the orange juice and orange peel on medium heat, blending thoroughly.
Spread the glaze over the cooled cake and allow to cool before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!